Upgrades with Emirates!

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Ducatiman

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I have question that perhaps can be answered by Red Roo or anyone else who may be in the know.

I have recent traveled with Emirates (on QF coded flights) from Melbourne to Europe a couple of times. I have been travelling with a junior colleague who this year made Platinum for the first time, I have been a Platinum One flyer since the program began. I average 5000 status points every year and my colleague, with the exception of this year, usually gets around 900 points per year.

On both recent occasions my colleague has been upgraded to First at the gate in Dubai on the longer Dubai-Melbourne leg. Why as a Platinum One customer have I been over looked by Emirates for the upgrade and my junior colleague as a 'newly' qualified Platinum flyer been upgraded? Does the Emirates system not recognise Platinum One flyers? Are Platinum One and Platinum flyers treated the same? If so, will Qantas put this right?
 
I have question that perhaps can be answered by Red Roo or anyone else who may be in the know.

I have recent traveled with Emirates (on QF coded flights) from Melbourne to Europe a couple of times. I have been travelling with a junior colleague who this year made Platinum for the first time, I have been a Platinum One flyer since the program began. I average 5000 status points every year and my colleague, with the exception of this year, usually gets around 900 points per year.

On both recent occasions my colleague has been upgraded to First at the gate in Dubai on the longer Dubai-Melbourne leg. Why as a Platinum One customer have I been over looked by Emirates for the upgrade and my junior colleague as a 'newly' qualified Platinum flyer been upgraded? Does the Emirates system not recognise Platinum One flyers? Are Platinum One and Platinum flyers treated the same? If so, will Qantas put this right?


Isn't this a question you should ask Emirates?
 
Given whenever I've had an EK BP issued it's simply said QF Platinum vs QF P1 it is entirely possible that EK have no way to know you are P1 vs WP (and they simply may not care) - QF may only send them the same code Fpr P1 as WP (or whatever, or their system has no equivalent to P1 to allocate priority to). I'd imagine EK just DON'T DYKWYA

btw how do you expect QF to "put it right" in the sense that it is EK making operational decisions on their metal aircraft which QF have no real say over. Now yes, if EK has some way to know that a P1 is "better" or rather should have higher priority than a regular WP that would absolutely help, but if they have no way to do that (just as, AA for example doesn't care about P1, just noting OWE status) ... then yes, if QF could work with EK to somehow differentiate the two statuses that would be something to work to, but it may also be QF have tried to do this and EK have said they don't care, or their system isn't geared to 4 status levels (didn't they add a Platinum level as it was to even up with QF?) or it simply may not be too big an issue for them. Frankly I suspect at DXB with numbers of EK's own high status pax that anyone else gets a look in is a pretty good deal.

(and I've never received an Op Up on EK either, not that I've had many flights to sample in that regard)
 
I assume EK don't offer upgrades as a reward for QF flying rather a temptaion to jump ship.
Perhaps the fact that your colleague was junior (maybe younger with more flying years ahead) and with fewer commitments (to QF) made him/her a better target for seduction (that could lead to an affair and maybe a marriage)
 
I assume EK don't offer upgrades as a reward for QF flying rather a temptaion to jump ship.
Perhaps the fact that your colleague was junior (maybe younger with more flying years ahead) and with fewer commitments (to QF) made him/her a better target for seduction (that could lead to an affair and maybe a marriage)

LOL :D

Interesting idea, but I doubt QF share (or are allowed to, and would anyone want that) such personal and commercial information with anyone else and it implies a judgement call on the part of either the EK system or a gate agent, which I find hard to believe. I'd say essentially random, maybe at the top of a list.. maybe alphabetical even, maybe a further forward seat assignment in J, maybe the agent liked his face or smile and hit the magic button ... could be anything.

Frankly I see OpUps as that super surprise without rhyme or reason often (heck as a UA Silver.. aka nobody I got one years ago IAD-LHR - a route absultely bursting to the seams with far higher UA elites).... I don't treat it as an expectation and certainly not on a partner airline no matter what their motivations may be (eg: poaching).

You could also use the same logic to suggest that someone "worth" P1 status for years was a much more valuable target for a mob like EK than a first time WP.. it goes both ways IMHO. I do think it's more or less random. I do understand the OP's query and why as a holder of a higher status perhaps they should have received it, but really such things are at the discretion of the operating airline and agents who make that call. Whatever logic or process EK goes through to decide is up to them, IMHO.
 
On both recent occasions my colleague has been upgraded to First at the gate in Dubai on the longer Dubai-Melbourne leg. Why as a Platinum One customer have I been over looked by Emirates for the upgrade and my junior colleague as a 'newly' qualified Platinum flyer been upgraded?

Oh dear! the humanity of it.... Imagine someone else getting an upgrade. How can we possibly sleep at night any more...
 
Ask the junior colleague to swap seats with you? At least they know who you are....:) I've had op-ups with high status; I've had op-ups with no status on a discounted fare (must have been my charming personality at checkin). I started a thread on this topic a few weeks ago. In short try to select the best seat you can in your booked class and make the most of whatever you get.
 
Re: Upgrades with Emirates! (it can happen)

I've had op-ups with high status; I've had op-ups with no status on a discounted fare (must have been my charming personality at checkin). I started a thread on this topic a few weeks ago....
I meant to post my recent experience to that earlier item. Anyway considered it a record to do a return to AKL over Xmas (QF ticket but EK A380 of course) and got J upgrade BOTH ways, even though on the cheapest possible ticket (about $640 at that time of year is cheap- EK offered me "cheap" AKL flights 2 days after bought from QF - for $1150!). Out on 24 Dec. - delay at check-in due to slow computer etc, then bingo a J upgrade was advised (I had 295K pts and Gold at the time). At that hour of the day, and lounge access nibble prior, a 2 course breakfast not all that impressive. On the way back on 6 Jan. in AKL I was simply given a boarding pass and not even told I had an upgrade (the seat number did look a bit low - it was closest I have ever sat to the exit in what can be the baby bulkhead). And they still ran out of lamb like they did the last time in J on EK ex AKL - grrr.

Other EK upgrade was 2 years ago on a 4 sector trip via Dubai, into Istanbul, out of Athens - 3 sectors ticketed as QF, but Athens-Dubai was on EK ticket. Somewhat surprised to get the J upgrade on the Athens-Dubai sector - because the other 3 were QF and there was a teaser incentive?

Is there a pattern here? Almost 300K pts, but cheapest possible ticket?? Would never expect such "love" from QF, it might cost them money. I am down for a "paid for - 72K pts" upgrade on QF1 SYD to Dubai in 6 weeks time so we will see what happens. Will S class +SG be enough to swing it or will all those P and P1 flyers wipe out the limited capacity? :evil:
 
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I think generally status is the reason but it might also be a combination of when a status person checks in online or at the airport.

On holidays I always do online check in as soon as possible. And we tend to arrive at the airport early to get the most of the lounge experience.

Our Emirates upgrade experience has been fabulous. Our first trip in July last year ADL - DXB we were given an upgrade at Baggage drop. One WP the other a no one. We were on cheap discount Y upgrade to J. On return, an upgrade to J at the gate.

6 months later BKK to Sydney at the BKK counter Mr P was upgraded from J to F. We were on separate PNR but had linked the bookings with both Qantas and Emirates and I wasn't upgraded. He had dropped to SG but when explaining why he'd been upgraded it was mentioned that he was status. I wasn't the least bit fussed and was just pleased for him. Of course he offered to swap with me at the checkin and the lady tried and rang someone but wasn't able to and suggested we try swap on the plane. Again we were all smiles and not fussed.

Enjoyed the Emirates lounge then went to board. I went first and had the delightful red light show as I scanned my BP. Yep. I had been upgraded to F too. I think there were a couple of other ones too. Then others were paged and I presume one person was upgraded from Y to J as I didn't see them in the F lounge.

We've had three upgrades in less than 6 months on Emirates. We've had one in 20 years of flying with Qantas (previously with Ansett).
 
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We've had three upgrades in less than 6 months on Emirates. We've had one in 20 years of flying with Qantas (previously with Ansett).

I can't complain (well, in a meaningful way) about getting operational upgrades from QF. Over the last ten years I probably have done better in that respect from QF than many of the current WPs. Or current partner OWEs (for the record I was AA EXP 3 years out of the ten) for that matter. Perhaps my preference for Y+/PEY internationally has something to do with it.

I think that QF has a transparency issue. I know that this could (and perhaps should) cover a multitude of issues, but let's talk about upgrades. QF should be able to say that no flight will depart with empty seats in a premium class where QFF members have asked for and offered to "pay" (with points) for the privilege of an upgraded seat. If the seats can be sold for $$, QF should go for it and the QFF member stays in the seat he paid for. So, some "paid" upgrades will occur only at the gate. Though given technology, an SMS 15 minutes after check-in closes (please check at the lounge desk) should be possible.

In the case for operational upgrades, most airlines (BA and CX included) that have high set values on the sale of premium seats, have completed the calculation that it is better to marginally oversell the Y cabin (and get the $$) and even if a (free) reward to their higher status flyers results. And if the no shows exceed the overbooking, everyone stays where they paid. Apparently EK wants their planes filled in ALL classes and acknowledges that it is easier to sell into the Y cabin. I would also wonder about the denied boarding penalties that some jurisdictions have in place. Far cheaper to absorb the cost of the "odd" upgrade than pay the financial penalties of denied boarding. Any empty seat has a lost "opportunity" cost. Offset by the loss of "premium seat" status image where OPups are required.

Competition in the premium cabins has changed. QF's will still be considered very desirable, but exclusivity is disappearing. But if QF wants to continue to sell the product against the competition (and retain their loyal QFF members) a change of business strategy is likely needed. Though the reduction in the cost of fuel will likely mask those issues for a while as QF glows in the light of better profits.

Wandering far too long

Fred
 
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